U.S. Packing Machinery Growth Predicted for 2006

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) predicts a 3% growth in packaging machinery sales in the United States to an estimated $5.854 billion. PMMI's U.S. Purchasing Plans Study represents the collective voice of 446 decision makers responsible for 8,339 packaging lines in 1,123 plants throughout eight key segments of the U.S. market.
        This will be the fifth consecutive year following the economic downturn experienced in 2001 in which domestic demand will increase. Much of the continued strength can be attributed to sustained growth of the U.S. economy, strong cash positions held by corporations and improved rates of capacity utilization. Another significant factor for growth is the ongoing effort by manufacturing organizations to reduce costs and improve productivity by expanding packaging line automation and installing the latest in high technology equipment.
        The complete 2006 Purchasing Plans study is available for $1500 by contacting Paula Feldman, director of statistics, at 1-888-ASK-PMMI. The study reports detailed findings for each of the eight segments and goes into depth on the market trends and factors affecting machinery purchasing.